One.
That’s it. That’s the number I’m celebrating today.
My 5-year-old walked into my office this morning and caught me smiling at my computer screen. “Daddy, why are you happy?” he asked, climbing onto my lap to see what could possibly be so interesting.
“Because buddy,” I told him, pulling up my YouTube dashboard, “someone we don’t even know decided they want to follow along on our adventure.”
He looked at the screen, saw the number “1” and said, “That’s not very many, Daddy.”
And you know what? He’s absolutely right. One subscriber isn’t very many. But it’s also everything.
Why One Matters More Than Zero
Let me back up and tell you what this is all about.
Three weeks ago, I made a decision that probably sounds crazy to most people: I’m going to build $5,000 in passive income over the next 5 years while working full-time and being present for my kids (my 5-year-old son and 1-year-old daughter).
Not $5,000 per month. Not some six-figure empire. Just $5K total over 5 years.
The catch? I’m documenting everything publicly on YouTube. Every success, every failure, every “what was I thinking?” moment along the way.
And today, September 28, 2025, someone who doesn’t know me, who isn’t related to me, who doesn’t owe me anything… hit subscribe.
The Math That Actually Matters
Here’s what I’ve learned about the number one in just 24 hours of having my first subscriber:
One is infinitely more than zero.
Mathematically speaking, going from 0 to 1 is an infinite percentage increase. But more importantly, going from zero to one means crossing a threshold that changes everything.
Zero subscribers means I’m talking to myself.
One subscriber means someone else believes this journey might be worth following.
Zero is a hobby. One is the beginning of a community.
What This First Subscriber Represents
That one subscriber isn’t just a number in my YouTube analytics. It’s:
Validation that authenticity resonates. I’m not pretending to be an expert. I’m not selling a dream. I’m just a regular dad figuring things out in real-time, and apparently, that matters to someone.
Proof that you don’t need to be perfect to start. My videos aren’t professionally produced. I don’t have fancy equipment. I’m literally using AI tools I’m still learning to figure out this whole content creation thing. And someone subscribed anyway.
Evidence that anti-hustle culture messaging has an audience. I’m not promising to teach people how to quit their jobs in 90 days. I’m showing them how to build something meaningful while being present for family. Turns out, that message resonates.
A reminder that every creator starts here. Every YouTuber you admire—the ones with millions of subscribers—they all had a day when they got subscriber number one. This is just how building something real works.
The Conversation I Had With My Wife
Last night, I showed my wife the dashboard.
“One subscriber,” I said, probably grinning like an idiot.
She smiled—that knowing smile that says she gets it even though she also thinks I’m a bit crazy. “That’s one more person who believes in what you’re building,” she said.
And that’s exactly it. This isn’t about going viral. It’s not about chasing algorithms or gaming the system. It’s about building something genuine, one person at a time.
What Happens Next?
Here’s my promise to subscriber number one (whoever you are):
I’m going to keep showing up. Not just when things go well. Not just when I have something impressive to share. But consistently, authentically, and honestly throughout this entire 5-year journey.
I’m going to document the real stuff. The tools that don’t work. The strategies that fail. The moments when I question whether this whole thing makes sense. Because that’s where the real learning happens.
I’m going to build this for you, not at you. This isn’t about me broadcasting my genius (spoiler: I don’t have genius to broadcast). It’s about creating a community of people who believe that slow, sustainable growth while prioritizing family is not only possible—it’s preferable.
The Bigger Picture
This blog exists as the hub for everything I’m building. YouTube is where you’ll see the journey unfold in video form. But here? This is where we go deeper.
This is where I’ll break down:
- The AI tools I’m testing (including brutal honest reviews)
- The exact strategies I’m using to build passive income
- The real numbers—time invested, money spent, results achieved
- The lessons learned from both wins and spectacular failures
Because if I’m going to ask you to follow along on this journey, you deserve complete transparency.
An Invitation
If you’re reading this and you’re not subscriber number one, maybe you’ll be number two. Or twenty. Or two hundred.
The number doesn’t actually matter. What matters is that we’re building something together—a community of people who believe that:
✅ You don’t have to sacrifice family time to build income
✅ Slow and sustainable beats fast and burnout
✅ Authenticity matters more than perfection
✅ AI is a tool, not a replacement for human connection
✅ Small wins compound into big results over time
To Subscriber Number One
I don’t know who you are. I don’t know how you found my channel. But I want you to know this:
You changed everything today.
You turned this from a crazy idea into something real. You gave me proof that showing up authentically matters. You became the first member of what I hope will become an amazing community.
Thank you for taking a chance on this journey. I promise to make it worth your time.
What About You?
Have you ever celebrated a “small” milestone that actually meant everything? Maybe it was your first sale, your first follower, your first client, or your first subscriber.
I’d love to hear about it in the comments below. Because I think we need to normalize celebrating these moments—not because we’re delusional about where we are, but because we’re grateful for how far we’ve come.
After all, every massive success story starts with someone, somewhere, celebrating one.
Ready to follow along on this 5-year journey?
📺 Subscribe on YouTube – Let’s build this community together
📧 Join my email list – Get weekly updates and behind-the-scenes insights
🐦 Follow on Twitter/X – Daily thoughts and real-time updates
💼 Connect on LinkedIn – Professional insights and networking
Next week on the blog: I’m diving into the first AI tool battle—comparing research platforms to find the best fit for content creators on a budget. Spoiler: The results surprised me.